Not What She Thought
by HP Slash Luv
Summary: Lily had been so excited about Hogwarts. But it's not what she imagined it would be.


**Written for:**

**Hogwarts: **Muggle Art  
Task 3 - Write about a Lily.

**Hogwarts: **365 Prompts  
Prompt - Flock

**Hogwarts: **Alphabetti Spaghetti  
Write out your favorite character's first name (mine is Hermione) - I for Invisibility Cloak

**Hogwarts: **Fortnightly Challenge  
Women's History - Narcissa Malfoy - Write about the youngest sibling

**Not What She Thought**

Lily watched the flock as it swarmed around James. His many admirers were clamoring for his attention. James grinned and ate it up.

She rolled her eyes.

She turned around and saw her other brother. He had two friends with him, and they were having an intense conversation, their heads bowed together as they whispered. It seemed like the most important conversation ever.

She sighed. Her two brothers were so different. One loud and outgoing, and the other quiet and introverted, but they both had friends.

Lily had come to Hogwarts this year, excited to finally be with her brothers, but it wasn't what she imagined it would be. No one seemed to want to be her friend. The few people who talked to her asked her about her 'cool big brother James' or her 'cute big brother Albus.' They didn't want to get to know _her_; they just wanted to meet James and Albus.

It was disheartening. She had heard the stories of how close her dad became with Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione, how he met them on the train. He and Uncle Ron had quickly become friends. It might have taken a little more time with Aunt Hermione, but it had happened eventually. Lily had imagined meeting her own Ron and Hermione on the train, but it didn't happen.

She walked away, her head bowed and shoulders slumped.

X

Lily knew she shouldn't be out after curfew. If she was caught, she'd be put into detention, but she was hungry. She had gone up to the dormitory and took a nap, sleeping right through dinner. If she was caught, maybe she could explain and the professor would let her off with a warning. Uncle Neville probably would at least, but she might not be so lucky if one of the other professors or Headmistress McGonagall caught her.

Suddenly, there was a shimmer in the air on her right, and James' head appeared, and it was _only _a head that appeared.

Lily blinked. "You're not supposed to use the invisibility cloak to sneak around after curfew."

James smirked. "You really believe that? What good is it for otherwise? You've heard the stories of what Dad did with it."

"Mum said not to follow Dad's example."

"Well, what she doesn't know won't hurt her, right?" He waggled his eyebrows.

Lily rolled her eyes. "What do you want?"

"What are _you _doing after curfew. _And _without an invisibility cloak? Have you lost your mind?"

She sighed. That was another thing. James got the invisibility cloak when he started at Hogwarts, and Albus got the Marauder's map. But there were no family heirlooms left to give her. Sometimes, it sucked being the youngest.

"I slept through dinner, and I'm hungry," she explained.

"Get under then."

Lily got under the invisibility cloak with him and they got to the kitchens without any incident. The house-elf working was more than happy to make Lily a sandwich. She took bites of it while James watched her.

"What?" she asked with her mouth full.

"How have you been?"

"Okay."

"I know you haven't really made any friends yet."

She looked down at the table. "It's no big deal. Maybe I'm just not meant to make friends."

"Don't say that," James said, sitting across from her at the small table.

"It's true, though. Albus is the quietest and shyest person in the world, and even _he _has friends. There must be something wrong with me if I can't make any."

"Albus might have friends now, but it took awhile. He got lucky in a way because Scorpius had trouble making friends because of his last name, and since they were both in Slytherin, they just latched onto each other. You _will _make friends."

"Everyone who talks to me just wants to know about you and Al."

"It starts like that, but then they'll get to know you. And I guarantee once they get to know you, they'll be dying to be your friend."

Lily stared down at her almost finished sandwich. "Hogwarts is nothing like I thought it was going to be."

"It never is," James agreed.

She finished her sandwich, and they got back under the invisibility cloak, sneaking back to Gryffindor Tower. Once they were inside the common room, James took it off them.

"How about you and I have breakfast together tomorrow?"

"You want to have breakfast with me?"

James smiled. "Of course. And don't give up. I know you'll make friends. Okay, Silly Lily?"

Lily smiled at the old childish nickname James called her until she was six.

"Okay."

Lily went to the girls first years' dorm while James went to the boys sixth years' dorm. She felt better now. And maybe James was right. Maybe she would make friends, and it would just take a little bit of time. She had no choice but to wait and hope for the best.

(word count: 820)


End file.
